UTB hosts Projects Expo 2026 to celebrate student innovations
The University of Technology Bahrain (UTB) hosted the UTB Projects Expo 2026, bringing together students, academics, industry experts, and business leaders to celebrate innovation, research excellence, and entrepreneurial thinking.
The event was attended by Dr. Diana Abdulkarim Aljahrami, Secretary General of the Higher Education Council, alongside distinguished representatives from Bahrain’s technology, business, and investment sectors.
Advancing Research, Innovation and Future Workforce Development
On this occasion, Dr. Diana Abdulkarim Aljahrami emphasised the importance of research and innovation exhibitions in providing a supportive environment that enables students to transform their ideas into practical solutions that serve various sectors.
She highlighted the Higher Education Council’s commitment to supporting scientific research and innovation. In addition, she stressed the importance of encouraging market-driven and commercially viable projects that align with labour market needs. As a result, graduates are better prepared and more competitive in today’s job market.
Dr Hasan Almulla, President of UTB, expressed his pride in the high academic standards demonstrated by the students’ projects. He noted that this achievement reflects the university’s strategy of fostering an academic and research environment that encourages entrepreneurial thinking and embraces Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
Furthermore, he explained that UTB remains committed to empowering young national talent and directing their capabilities towards developing scientific solutions that support Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.
From Entrepreneurship Development Programme to University-Wide Innovation Platform
The Expo represents the evolution of UTB’s highly successful Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP), which was previously organised by the College of Administrative and Financial Sciences (CAFS) to showcase student business and entrepreneurial projects.
Following the programme’s success and the expansion of UTB’s academic offerings, the initiative has grown into a university-wide platform. Today, the Expo showcases outstanding projects from the College of Administrative and Financial Sciences (CAFS), the College of Computer Studies (CCS), and the College of Engineering (COE).
In addition, the Expo highlighted innovative projects developed by students from newer academic programmes. These included the Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance (BSAF), the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT), and the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering (BSEnE).
The BSIT programme featured projects from its major tracks in Applications Development, Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, and Networking and Cybersecurity.
Through this expanded platform, UTB continues to provide students with experiential learning opportunities that bridge academic knowledge with real-world challenges. Moreover, the initiative strengthens innovation, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking while preparing graduates to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s knowledge-based economy.
Industry Perspectives and Project Evaluation for Real-World Impact
As part of the exhibition’s opening programme, two innovation-focused presentations provided valuable industry insights.
Ms Aida Al Mudaifa, Co-Founder and CEO of Early Riser, spoke about the role of educational institutions in nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets from an early age. She encouraged the adoption of interactive learning approaches that stimulate creativity, innovation, and problem-solving.
Meanwhile, Ms Eman Deabil, Head of Strategy and Innovation at BBK, discussed the opportunities created by financial technologies and artificial intelligence within the banking sector. She emphasised the importance of supporting student-developed digital solutions and transforming them into sustainable business ventures that contribute to Bahrain’s digital transformation strategy.
A panel of industry experts and academic representatives evaluated the projects. The judges assessed entries based on innovation, technical excellence, industry relevance, commercial potential, and sustainability impact.
The judging panel included:
- Ms Eman Deabil, Head of Strategy and Innovation at BBK
- Mr Ali Beshara, Founder and Executive Cybersecurity Governance Advisor at CyberCrest Consulting
- Mr Saed Radhi, Audit and Advisory Director at KPMG Fakhro Bahrain
- Ms Dalal Ebrahim, Chief Operating Officer at Cazasouq Trading
- Mr Ahmed Channaa, Head of Maintenance at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications
- Mr Ahmed Haffadh, Founding Team & AI Success Manager at DOO
The evaluation process highlighted students’ entrepreneurial mindset, technical competence, and ability to transform theoretical knowledge into impactful development projects. These projects support sustainable development goals while contributing to Bahrain’s national economic agenda.
Recognising Outstanding Student Projects and Innovation Excellence
The College of Administrative and Financial Sciences demonstrated strong entrepreneurial thinking and business innovation through projects that combined creativity, market relevance, and commercial potential. Ali Mohamed Almutaweh from the BSc in Business Informatics programme earned recognition for his project, Planova, while Dalal Adnan Ebrahim Salem, Salman Waleed A. Latif Rashed Jasim, Haidar Mortadah Hashem Alhassan, and Yusuf Yaqoob Yusuf Husain Yusuf Almarzooq from the BSc in International Business programme were recognised for their project, Hot Box. These projects reflected the students’ ability to develop innovative solutions aligned with emerging business opportunities and industry needs.
The College of Engineering showcased excellence in automation, smart technologies, and sustainable engineering solutions. Recognition was awarded to BSc in Informatics Engineering student, Zahra Jasim Hasan, and BSc in Mechatronics Engineering students, Nathalie Ahmed Alomari, Abdalla Elsiddig Elradi, and Mahanna Mabkhoot Al-Hamimi for their project, Design and Development of an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) for Warehouse Management Systems. Additional recognition went to Mohamed Ebrahim Seroori, Ebrahim Saeed Saeed, and Ali Hasan Saeed, also from the BSME programme, for their PLC-Controlled Cylindrical Robot for Height-Based Product Sorting. From the BSc in Environmental Engineering programme, Zainab Ahmed Khulqi, Noor Syed Ali Ahmed, and Abdulrahman Khamis Mubarak were recognised for their project, Design and Development of a Solar-Powered Seawater Desalination System with Digital Monitoring and Irrigation Application. Collectively, the projects demonstrated innovative approaches to addressing industrial efficiency, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability.
The College of Computer Studies highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital innovation. Abdallah Tantawy Megawer Abdelhafez Tantawy from the BSc in Computer Science programme and Issa Mohamed Issa Abdalla Gharib from the BSc in Information Technology programme majoring in Networking and Cybersecurity were recognised for their collaborative project, Smart Timetable Generator for EMADA: A Chrome Extension for Optimised Course Registration, designed to enhance the student experience through technology. Meanwhile, Mustafa Mohamed Baqer Husain Naser, Ahmed Yusuf Ahmed Saleh Ali Alhubaishi, Mohammed Mahdi Kadhem Abdulkarim Shehab, and Mohamed Zuhair Mohamed Maki Alaskafi from the BSc in Information Technology programme with major tracks in Applications Development, Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, and Networking and Cybersecurity, received recognition for their project, AI-Enhanced Honeypot Framework for Zero-Day Attack Detection with Real-Time Threat Intelligence and Security Analytics Dashboard. Their work showcased advanced applications of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity in addressing evolving digital threats.
Recognising Research Excellence and Societal Impact
The Expo also honoured faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to research through the presentation of the Top Researcher Awards to Dr Rajkumar Palaniappan, Dr Jayendira Sankar, and Dr Noaman M Noaman. The awards reflected UTB’s commitment to fostering a strong research culture that extends beyond academic publication to generate meaningful impact for industry, society, and sustainable development. Consideration was given not only to research quality and productivity, but also to the societal relevance of research outcomes and their potential to address real-world challenges in Bahrain and the wider community.
Further highlighting the university’s research capabilities, faculty members from across the colleges showcased their work through poster presentations covering a diverse range of contemporary topics, demonstrating the breadth of expertise within the UTB academic community. Through these research exhibits, faculty members highlighted how their work contributes to advancing knowledge, supporting industry innovation, informing policy, and addressing societal challenges.
